27 Years
by slillie2
Summary: After Audrey dies trying to end the Troubles, she returns 27 years later as someone else. How will this affect Nathan and Duke, and the now grown up family that Audrey left behind? Will she be able to end the Troubles, this time for good?
1. The Beginning of the End

It was a sunny, but cool fall day in the town of Haven as Audrey Parker walked towards The Gull. Earlier she had gotten an urgent call from her friend Duke. He had claimed to have found a way to end the Troubles once and for all, but he needed her help. She was at The Gull in no time, no one was there to greet her, so she quickly headed towards Duke's office.

She knocked on the door, and when she received no answer she became worried. She was about to break the door down, but she returned to her senses long enough to try the door knob, finding the door unlocked she drew her gun and rushed in, only to find a very disheveled Duke looking at his father's box with sad eyes.

"Audrey!" He exclaimed as her abrupt entrance snapped him out of his thoughts.

She was concerned for her friend, they hadn't seen that box in years, and nothing good had ever come from it.

"Duke, you called me, remember?" Audrey slowly placed a hand on his shoulder, "you said it was urgent. Did something happen to Luke?"

"No, no, Luke's find. He's with his mother." He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it came out as a grimace. He grabbed Audrey's hand and took a deep breath, "I found a way to end the troubles."

"Well then, why do you look so sad about it?"

"You-", Duke took a shaky breath, "you-Audrey, you have to…die." When he finally uttered the words he put his head in his hands in a fit of despair.

"Oh…" was her reply. Maybe a few years ago she would have done anything to help end the Troubles, no matter the price. If it would have cost her, her life, she would have gladly paid it. But now things were different, she was different. A few years ago she had nothing to lose. She had no family, no friends, Hell she had no life. Her memories and feelings weren't even her own, she was living the life of someone else. It brought a whole new meaning to the term 'identity crisis'.

She had nothing except for the mystery of Lucy Ripley. As soon as she realized that she was actually Lucy, Audrey took up the crusade against the Troubles. At the time it was the only think keeping her in Haven, but all that changed with Nathan.

She had something-someone else to live for. Even as their relationship grew more serious she never quit trying to fix the Troubles. When Nathan proposed he made her promise that she'd never leave him. The underlying meaning was clear to her, Nathan was afraid, afraid that one day the Troubles would leave, and like Lucy, so would Audrey, and Nathan all Nathan would be able to feel is his heart breaking.

Then a few months after their wedding, Audrey realized she was pregnant, she had never seen Nathan so excited. They named her Elizabeth after Nathan's mother, and she was beautiful, she was just one more thing that made Audrey's life a reality. No matter who she was, Sarah, Lucy, Audrey, whoever, she would always be a mother. That little fact, that little reality check, that little girl changed Audrey, like Nathan had. It no longer mattered who she was in the past, now all that mattered was who she was in that moment.

As a few more years passed Audrey still tried to help the Troubled, in the back of her mind she knew that one day she'd disappear, but she still had to try to help these people. It was some subconscious need that she had to fulfill. Even after their second child, a boy they named Royce, she continued to look for a cure.

She didn't tell Nathan about Duke's call, she was afraid he would try and stop her from coming. And even though she was afraid of what would happen if she was successful, if they actually were able to end the Troubles, she still had to try.

"Duke," she said slowly, after a few seconds, "I…can't"

"You said you'd do anything to end the Troubles."

"I said that about five years ago, when all I had were false memories and the mystery of Lucy Ripley." She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I can't" her voice broke, "I can't do it Duke. I know its selfish and probably wrong, but I have things to live for now besides ending the Troubles. I have to be here for Nathan and Elizabeth and Royce. I made a promise to Nathan and I intend to keep it."

"I thought you made a promise to Haven. I thought you wanted to help people, Audrey! The Troubles will end when you're gone." Duke said as he brought out a knife from his father's box.

"The Trouble's won't leave forever Duke, they'll be back in twenty seven years, and so will-" she stopped speaking suddenly, she couldn't say it. She couldn't say that when the Troubles returned so would she.

Her abrupt ending didn't go unnoticed by Duke. "And so will you." He finished her sentence for her. "But this time will be different. I have to kill you with this knife and all the Troubles will disappear, and this time they'll stay gone…and so will you."

He looked at her and Audrey noticed that his eyes had turned completely white, like she had seen only once before, when he killed a Troubled boy a few years back, thereby eliminating the Troubles from the boy's family line.

Audrey put her hands up in surrender, she didn't think Duke would actually try and kill her, but when he took a step towards her with the knife, she took one back.

"Duke, come on let's talk about this."

He continued toward her and she kept retreating until her back was pressed up against the wall.

"Duke remember me, it's me your friend, Audrey."

He stood a foot away from her, he appeared calm, nothing at all like the man she saw a few minutes ago. She was silently pleading for the man before her, her friend, to stop. When her eyes met his she realized that he was no longer the Duke she knew and loved, he was now simply a Crocker and his only goal was to kill her.

He let out a laugh that sounded more like a bark. "You're not Audrey Parker, you just stole her life. You don't know who you are, everything you did or know was a lie."

"Is that so?" She questioned angrily. She used to think that about herself as well, that the only thing she had in life was a way to end the Troubles, a way to bring peace to a town that so desperately needed it, but all that changed with Nathan. "Tell me Duke, are Elizabeth and Royce made up too? I may not have had a real life, with real memories before I arrived her in Haven, but I do now. I am helping the Troubled as best as I can, but I need to be here for them too. I need to be here for Nathan, I made a promise!" She shouted.

Duke grabbed her, and pinned her against the wall. "You also made a promise to the people of this town. Which one do you intend to keep?"

Audrey didn't answer, she didn't even try to move, she had accepted her fate, she stared into her friend's white eyes and she was full of regret. She regretted that she couldn't help Duke, she regretted that she wouldn't be there for her children. But most of all she regretted breaking her promise to Nathan.

A single tear left her eye as Duke plunged the knife into her side. The only sound she made was a gasp. She felt the pain for only a moment, but then her body went numb, a natural result of shock or something supernatural from the knife she wasn't sure. This must be what Nathan feels like, she thought.

Duke's eyes suddenly cleared, he quickly assessed the situation and yelled, "Oh my God, Audrey!" he fell to his knees.

She had yet to move, even as blood flowed from her side she was still standing against the wall, the knife protruding from her side. He moved to pull it out, but his hand was stopped by Audrey's.

"No, don't." She took a raspy breath, "leave it in."

"We have to get you to a hospital!" Duke exclaimed, jumping to his feet. He kept a hold of Audrey's hand and led her out of his office and to his Land Rover.

As Duke turned onto Main Street, Audrey seemed to come back to her senses.

"No hospital," She said surprising Duke, "take me to the station."

Duke looked at her, she wasn't looking too good. She was sweating bullets and shaking slightly. Her usually pale completion was absolutely ghostly. She seemed to be struggling to breathe, every time she took a breath the knife in her side moved slightly. She didn't seem to be in any pain, which Duke took as a bad sign, he figured being stabbed would hurt a lot, especially if you kept the knife in. he was really concerned about his friend, even if she wasn't too concerned about herself.

"I mean it Duke," She said, her usually fiery attitude sparking up, "take me to the station." She took a deep breath, "I need to tell Nathan something."

"It can wait," Duke said, "you can tell him after you get out of the hospital." He had no intention of taking her to the Police Station.

"It won't make a difference, "Audrey sighed, "it's too late." She placed her now blood stained hand on Duke's knee, "please?"

He sighed and tried to keep the tears from his eyes. "Are you sure?" He asked hoping to change her mind.

"Absolutely positive." She said with such certainty that Duke couldn't even begin to argue with her.

When they arrived at the Police Station, Duke had barley put the car in park before Audrey was out of the car. She wasn't running frantically into the station, but she wasn't taking a leisurely stroll either. She was walking with a certain amount of confidence in her steps; she was going to reach her destination that was for certain, what would come after was still a mystery.

Audrey entered the station, she wanted to run through the doors, straight into his office and have him in her arms. She wanted him to tell her that everything would be alright, even though they both knew it was a lie. However, when she looked down the hall she could see that his door was closed, and even while dying Audrey couldn't justify barging in, she respected Nathan too much for that, so instead she went to the from desk, where she was met by Stan.

"Officer Parker, so nice to see you…" He trailed off as he took in her appearance, "Oh my God, you need a doctor."

"Stan, it's too late for that. What I really need is to see Nathan, right now." She said calmly. When it looked like he was about to protest she added, "please?"

"But…Audrey," Stan really wanted her to seek medical attention.

"Please Stan. What I have to say is important."

He sighed as he lifted the phone to his ear and pushed the button that would connect him to the Chief's phone.

"I said no calls," Nathan answered after a few rings, "I'm in a meeting."

"Nathan…it's Audrey."


	2. The End of the Beginning

**Disclaimer- I do not own Haven**

Nathan was meeting with Tim Jones, the man who took over the Rev's position as leader of the anti-Troubled cause. Tim wasted no time taking over where the Rev left off, Nathan questioned the man's motives. At least with the Rev everyone knew where he stood, he claimed to want to save the Troubled no matter the cost. Tim seemed to be the kind of man who only looked out for himself. He no longer wanted to save the Troubled, but to eliminate them all together. In Nathan's opinion the man was jealous that he had not been afflicted with a curse.

The meeting had started out being about zoning laws. Tim wanted to build a new club house for his gang, but the meeting soon turned into a lecture. Tim was lecturing Nathan on how Troubled people think, as if he would have a better understanding of the Troubled than Nathan had himself.

"…as you know Chief Wuornos the Troubled people of this town would like nothing more than to-" Nathan never got to find out what the Troubled people wanted to do because at that moment his phone began to ring, he was secretly relieved, he didn't know how much more of Tim's nonsense he could take.

"I said no calls," Nathan answered trying to sound angry, while trying to refrain from laughing, "I'm in a meeting." He finished glancing at Tim.

"Nathan…its Audrey." Was Stan's reply. Tears could be heard in his voice.

"Audrey Parker? The woman who shot the Rev? I hope she gets what she deserves, I hope she-" Tim was interrupted when Nathan finally found his voice.

"Is she…" Nathan couldn't even finish the question.

"No, but…" Stan let his sentence trail off as he took a deep breath, "She wants to see you. I think- I think it's urgent." Nathan could tell that the other man was trying not to cry.

"Send her back." Nathan replied.

"But we're not finished here." Tim exclaimed.

"Right now, we are." Nathan said as he slammed the phone down breaking it. "Get out." He pointed to the door. "Now." He added when Tim made no move to leave.

"This isn't over." Tim said as he opened the door to leave, and almost slammed into a very pale, very bloody Audrey Parker.

"Mr. Jones." She said as she nodded to the man who was now standing directly in front of her, frozen in shock. His eyes quickly took in her appearance, she was bloody and had a knife sticking out from her side. He couldn't take his eyes off the knife and he was so shocked when it moved, due to her breathing, that he almost giggled. He probably would have stood there forever transfixed, but as it was the officer that followed Audrey back placed a hand on his shoulder and led him away, leaving the way clear for Audrey to enter.

Audrey entered the police Chief's office and stopped, she studied Nathan's face, trying desperately to commit it to her memory. Nathan just stood there starring at his wife in horror, Audrey was standing there like all was fine, not at all like she was bleeding to death in his office.

"Nathan…" She whispered tears in her eyes, she knew what was to come and she hated to be the one to cause him so much pain, "I'm sorry."

"Audrey," Nathan said as he took three quick steps closing the gap between them and enveloping her in a hug.

"Nathan, listen to me," She said as she pulled out of his embrace and looked into his eyes, "Duke-you can't blame Duke. It wasn't him, not really. Don't let him get lost in his own guilt. And Elizabeth and Royce, please let them know how much I love them and how sorry I am for leaving them. And Nathan, I'm sorry, so sorry that I broke my promise." Audrey said in one breath. She didn't know how many she had left, she was sure the knife had punctured a lung.

It was the last sentence of Audrey's ramblings that really caught Nathan's attention, she was breaking his promise- their promise, she was leaving him.

"No Audrey, you can't." His voice was desperate. She couldn't leave him, she promised.

"It's already done Nathan," she said gesturing towards the knife, "I only wanted to let you know how sorry I am. I've broken both of my promises. I told Duke this wouldn't work, my death won't end the Troubles, they'll be back in twenty seven years."

"Which means you'll be back." He said relieved that she wouldn't be gone forever, that she'd eventually return to him. Haven could live with Audrey Parker, but he knew he couldn't.

"No I won't." She whispered.

"Sure you will Audrey. You're the only one who can fix the Troubles."

"No, Nathan. After today, after I…die. Audrey Parker will not be coming back. I'll be back, but as who? Sarah, Lucy, Audrey, someone else? Nathan this is it, I'm dying, and to be blunt, in the next few minutes I'll be dead, and I won't be coming back. I'm sorry."

"But…" He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, he couldn't lose her, not now, not after all they had been through.

He looked at her side, at the knife and it finally clicked.

"Duke?" He asked still staring at the knife, "Duke, did this?" He was going to kill Duke Crocker.

Audrey apparently knew Nathan's train of thought, "Nathan he wasn't himself. Don't hold it against him, please?" She said the last part in a whisper, becoming very tired all of sudden. She was overcome with dizziness and practically fell onto Nathan who caught her with ease.

He could feel her, when he had first felt her after all that time, he was elated, but now- now he wished he would never feel again. He could feel her shaking as she struggled to take another breath, he could feel her blood soaking into his shirt, he could feel her shuttering breaths on his cheek. He could feel her dying and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Nathan, I'm so sorry. I knew this could happen, but I had hoped it wouldn't. I thought we could defy fate, and I'm sorry I have to leave you."

"I'm sorry too Audrey. I'm sorry you never got to live a somewhat normal life, sorry the responsibility of Haven fell onto your shoulders, sorry you won't get to see your children grow up, sorry we won't grow old together. I'm sorry we couldn't escape destiny."

She reached up and gave him one last thing to remember her by, a kiss, full of love, longing, and loss.

"I love you Audrey Parker." Nathan whispered in her ear as he pulled her closer enclosing her in his arm in one last desperate attempt to keep her there with him.

"I love you too Nathan Wuornos." She said lifting up to kiss his cheek, like she did those many years ago. She settled her head onto his shoulder as he brought his hand up to the spot her lips just left. It seemed that they had come full circle, like this was the way it was supposed to end.

Nathan stood there holding her, as he began to weep. After a few minutes she was gone, disappearing into thin air, all that remained was the blood stained knife that was now no longer in her side, but on the office floor. Still crying, he bent down and picked it up. It was then that he noticed he could feel again. He could feel the tears roll down his cheeks, he could feel his shirt clinging to his body where Audrey's blood had soaked through, he could feel the cool metal of the knife, he could feel the stickiness of the handle that came from her blood. But most of all he could feel pain…and anger towards the man that had killed her.

He stood up abruptly and walked toward the door, he was angry and he wanted answers. He knew the man who had the answer was on the other side of his office door, Nathan had seen him sit down just as Audrey walked in. Audrey had said not to blame Duke for what happened, but right now that didn't matter. Her was angry and Audrey was no longer there. He opened the door so hard that when it slammed into the wall behind it a hole was formed and the glass window in the door cracked.

Duke had been sitting on the edge of his seat since Audrey went into Nathan's office, he saw Tim Jones come out only to block the door while he stared at Audrey. Officer Stan had to move the man away from the door so Audrey could say her good byes to Nathan. That's what they were doing here, Duke knew, Audrey was dying and instead of going to a hospital like a normal person, she demanded to come here. Then again there was nothing normal about Audrey Parker.

His thoughts were interrupted when the door to Nathan's office was violently opened and a very angry and distraught looking Nathan emerged. He had obviously been crying and his hand gripped Duke's knife so hard that one of them was surly about to break. It was then that Duke noticed something; Audrey was no longer with Nathan, she had broken her promise, and when Nathan's eyes came to rest on him, Duke knew who Nathan was going to blame for it.

Nathan only had to take six long strides until he was face-to-face with Duke.

Duke opened his mouth to speak, but when Nathan's fist collided with his jaw, his words died in his throat.

"She's gone." Nathan whispered, his voice full of despair.

"Arrest me." Duke said as he brought his hands out in front of him. At Nathan's confused look he continued, "It was me, I killed her. I stabbed her with my father's knife."

"She said that it wasn't you. That you weren't yourself." Nathan replied calmly, he had to try and pretend that none of this affected him or he would break down and cry, or kill Duke with the same knife that had killed his wife. Nathan wasn't sure what would be worse.

Duke opened his mouth to try and say something else, but was cut off by Nathan who said,

"Before you ask, it didn't stop the Troubles. They may be gone right now," he glanced at the hand he had hit Duke with, he could feel that some of the bones were broken, "But Audrey said they'd come back in about twenty seven years."

"So she'll be back, right? I mean Lucy came back."

"No, Lucy came back as Audrey. Just like Sarah came back as Lucy. Next time she'll be someone else and she won't remember any of this- any of us." Nathan said gesturing around to make his point.

"But…but." Duke sat down, his legs suddenly week. He put his head in his hands and began to cry. Nathan sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright. She said not to hold it against you. So," Nathan took a deep breath, "I won't."

"But that was all I had, "Duke said bringing his head from his hands, "she was supposed to come back…she has to.

"Duke, listen to me, "Nathan waited until he had the other man's attention, "Go home, look in the box, read the journals, and try to find a way to end the Troubles once and for all, so next time no matter who she is, we can help her do it right."

Nathan brought the knife up and presented it to Duke. Who stared at it, but made no move to take it, "It's what Audrey would want," Nathan said firmly, and Duke reluctantly too the blade he had used to kill his friend, and he headed home to search for a way to end this cycle of madness once and for all.


End file.
